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Exemplary ProjectWest Chicago Police Department’s 10-Point Plan A Comprehensive Community Based- Approach to Reducing Gang Violence
The City of West Chicago, Illinois is a community 35 miles west of Chicago, with a population of 24,000. Over the last decade, this community has witnessed a dramatic growth in street gang violence. To address gang activity, in 1991, the West Chicago Police Department studied various organizations, researched literature, and conducted public surveys to help form the basis of a new approach. In the past, our efforts to address street gangs were traditionally incident driven, and developing long-term solutions was not a priority. In view of the findings, the department developed and implemented an anti-gang strategy that is referred to as, The 10-Point Plan. This plan is based on the premise that law enforcement officers should take a leadership role in maintaining a collaborative relationship among the police department, city government, and the community. Building these relationships will serve to help strengthen families, and address the underlying socio-economic issues that confront a community, thus, reducing crime associated with gang activity.
The 10-Point Plan is founded on the following two objectives. First, to reduce criminal activity related to street gang violence, and second, to heighten community awareness through the coordination of law enforcement efforts, community partnership, education, and prevention strategies. The 10 points are as follows:
To monitor gang activity, a customized database was developed which enables the department to track and identify gang members. It also allows us to document the frequency with which gang members participate in criminal activity, and the type of crimes they commit. The information collected serves as a barometer for predicting cyclical patterns of gang activity and how this type of activity impacts the community.
In 1999, as part of the neighborhood mobilization effort, the City of West Chicago, the Police Department, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Gang Crime Prevention Center formed an alliance with residents to deal with a neighborhood that, for years, was gang infested. Through a cooperative effort, the department has achieved a working relationship with the residents that have resulted in fewer calls for service and a reduction in gang activity.
Two community centers have been developed to provide a variety of social service and outreach programs to residents living in the neighborhood. These centers have proven to be very successful in helping to improve the quality of life for the people within the community. Both centers provide mentoring programs to assist at risk youth.
Another component of the plan involved an initiative that focused on making parents more accountable for their children’s actions. The Problem Oriented Policing (POP) unit administers the program known as the “Gang Alert for Parents.” When an officer from the POP unit observes a youth associating with known gang members, the officer completes a letter, in English or Spanish, informing the parent of their child’s involvement in gang activity. The officer delivers the letter to the child’s parent(s) and if the parents do not follow through, a city ordinance violation citation, punishable by a fine of up to $500, is issued to the parents. The program has had the greatest impact on those who are considered “fringe” gang members. In addition, the overall reaction to the program has been positive and parents have expressed gratitude for the personal notification.
Graffiti is considered one of the first indicators of gang activity in an area. A fundamental approach to controlling this activity is the swift and proper removal of graffiti. Over the last four years, the community has seen a reduction of annual graffiti by 37%. The department believes the reason for the reduction is twofold; residents and business owners are encouraged to report new graffiti and it is removed within 48 hours by the city, at no expense to the property owner.
In 1999, the department filed a civil lawsuit under the Illinois Street Gang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act against twenty-two members of a street gang operating in West Chicago. The lawsuit sought to obtain injunctive relief against each of the gang members named in the suit. The injunction seeks to prohibit them from associating in public, therefore reducing their chances of violating any federal, state, or local ordinance. This was the first civil lawsuit of its kind filed in the state of Illinois and is still pending in court.
In 2000, The Department indicted nineteen ranking street gang members operating in West Chicago and the surrounding communities. The arrests were the culmination of a two-year investigation conducted by a multi-agency task force. This was the first street gang investigation of this magnitude ever completed in DuPage County, Illinois. In both cases, gang operations were successfully dismantled and their criminal activities eliminated. As a result, gang-related shootings dropped in 2001 by 57%.
In 2001, Chief Gerald Mourning accepted the Fredrick Milton Thrasher Award, which was presented by the National Gang Crimes Research Center in Chicago. The award was created in 1992 to honor outstanding contributions in the area of addressing street gang violence. The department received this award for its comprehensive efforts to develop effective anti-gang strategies.
To insure the continuous success of the 10–Point Plan, the program is monitored. This is the first step to measuring change. Second, members from each division within the police department meet on an annual basis to re-evaluate the plan. Evaluation consists of analyzing program results and determining whether or not program strategies are effectively addressing gang issues. As part of the evaluation process, there are four key indicators.
The first is Outcome Measures. Each year we make a comparison of serious gang related crimes to include gang crimes against persons. The information collected is reviewed to determine if gang related crime is increasing, decreasing, or has stayed the same. Since 1998, the number of incidents involving crimes against persons has dropped by 38%. In addition, since 1998, the number of gang-related firearm discharge has decreased by 57%.
The second is Community Education. The quantity and quality of gang awareness programs delivered are measured against similar data from the preceding year. The number of programs we presented has remained at approximately 22 per year. We continue to deliver gang awareness programs to various civic groups, schools districts, parent teacher associations, and church groups. Citizens must be kept informed of current gang trends that can affect the community.
The third key indicator is Intelligence Analysis. Intelligence information is collected on an on-going basis so the department can stay current on the formation of new “turf” that gangs have established, and the types of crimes being committed by gang members. At one time, there were 13 active street gangs operating in the City of West Chicago. The number of active street gangs has been dramatically reduced to five. The remaining eight street gangs have either been dismantled or displaced from the community.
Finally, the last component involves Community Feedback. The public’s perception of gang activity is assessed and key respondents are identified who can provide information on the level of gang activity within the city. There have been a variety of methods used to identify the community’s reaction to gang activity. The most consistent feedback has been through city officials who collect this information from their constituents. Other methods have been through surveys conducted by the police department, neighborhood meetings, and feedback from civic groups. Consistently, the community has provided positive feedback indicating that they feel gang violence has diminished over the last several years.
Since developing and implementing the 10-Point Plan, there have been few obstacles to administering it. The cost of operating the plan is primarily derived from the police department’s annual operating budget, with additional funding assistance from vehicles, and money seized from drug investigations. In addition, the City of West Chicago recently received a community development grant to improve housing conditions in a neighborhood targeted by the department due to gang activity. The 10-Point Plan is an initiative that can be tailored to meet the needs of any police department or community. There is only one caveat; the 10-Point Plan can only be successful as long as a collaborative effort exists between law enforcement and an involved, educated community.
For more information, please contact Commander Malkin at the address below: Commander Bruce Malkin West Chicago Police Department Problem Oriented Policing Unit 325 Spencer Street West Chicago, IL. 60185 (630) 293-2222
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The origin of
street gangs can be traced back to the 1920’s when Fredrick Milton Thrasher
conducted a study of 1,113 gangs in Chicago. At this time, gangs were loosely
organized and functioned predominately in large cities. Today, gangs are more
structured and organized, and have proliferated to smaller communities. In
addition to gang activity, comes a litany of crimes such as drug sales, drive by
shootings, murders, mob violence, armed robberies, and burglaries. As we face
these new challenges, it is critical for law enforcement officers and
communities to work in a unified manner to eliminate gang violence.
Gang Intelligence
Collection, Analysis and Dissemination